The opening period in this one felt like both teams were waiting for the other to make a mistake. There weren't a whole lot of shots nor scoring chances, but both goalies were sharp when called upon to make saves. Neither side would dent twine in the opening 20 minutes as we went to the break still tied at 0-0 with Mount Royal holding a 6-3 edge in shots.
The second period started off with the same cautious play from both sides, but Kallie Clouston would break the stalemate at 8:41 with a shot that Kaitlyn Ross likely wants back. Clouston's goal counts all the same, though, as Alberta took a 1-0 lead. Five minutes later, the Pandas were on the power-play as they tore up the ice, and Jadynn Morden would finish off the play with a shot that got past Ross at 14:05 to make it 2-0. Natalie Kieser would make it 3-0 before the period ended as she went five-hole on Ross on a breakaway that just got through the wickets and across the line at 18:56, and the Pandas took their three-goal lead into the intermission despite being outshot 12-11 in the game.
The third period saw the cautious approach continue which was puzzling with one team trailing by three goals. Mount Royal worked to push the pace a little more, but Alberta was quick to counter with solid defensive play. Mount Royal called Ross to the bench with four minutes to play - not recorded on the scoresheet - but Madison Willan would put the puck into the vacated cage at 16:34 to make it 4-0 for Alberta. A late power-play goal by Tatum Amy at 18:56 wasn't going to do much other than ruin the Alberta shutout, but the damage had been done as Alberta prevailed in a 4-1 victory. Halle Oswald stopped 21 shots for her tenth win of the season while Kaitlyn Ross stopped 13 shots in the loss.
Mount Royal doesn't bother with highlights, so I play funny hockey commercials in place of where highlights should be. As much as people like these commercials, I like highlights. Your move, MRU.
SATURDAY: The Cougars came out of the tunnel flying on this night, but they ran into a wall named Oswald throughout the first period. Alberta could have found itself in a hole by the tne-minute mark, but their netminder came ready to play! A couple of power-play chances in the second-half of the period were killed off by the Pandas as well as they survived the Cougars' attack in the first period to hit the break still tied at 0-0 despite being outshot 12-3 by Mount Royal.
The second period was played a little more evenly as both teams settled down. A Pandas power-play wasn't successful just before the midway point of the period, but they'd find the twine moments later when Cassidy Maplethorpe's backhander in tight on Ross found room past the netminder to give Alberta the 1-0 lead at 10:19! Alberta would fall into a little penalty trouble after scoring as they spent the remainder of the period killing penalties, but they'd survive the three shorthanded situations to make it to the intermission with the 1-0 Alberta lead intact despite Mount Royal leading 21-9 in shots.
Another early power-play in the third period finally saw Mount Royal solve Oswald as Breanne Trotter beat the Alberta netminder at 3:50 while up a player, and it was a 1-1 game at the 3:50 mark. That score lasted for six minutes as Kallie Clouston went shelf over Ross' shoulder from the slot at 9:50 to restore the Pandas' one-goal lead. Despite a late 5-on-3 opportunity that turned into a 6-on-3 opportunity with Ross on the bench, it would be Allison Reich who iced this game with 24 seconds remaining as she hit the vacated Mount Royal cage with 24 seconds to play to give the Alberta Pandas the 3-1 victory over the Mount Royal Cougars! Halle Oswald was stellar in earning her eleventh win of the season by stopping 25 shots while Kaitlyn Ross suffered a second-straight defeat on an eleven-save night.
At the time of writing, there were no highlights posted by Alberta. Normally, the Pandas are pretty reliable with highlights, but I'll just post panda hugs until they post them. Hugs for the winners!
Things started off well for the home side when Sophie Lalor got the puck to Jayde Cadieux for a quick shot from the slot that was turned aside, but Kara Kondrat was on the rebound as she bee-lined to the net, backhanding it over Maltais' right pad at 5:04 for the 1-0 Huskies lead! Things were going quite well for the Huskies until the final 1:04 of the period when they were whistled for consecutive penalties just 24 seconds apart. Trinity Western used the 5-on-3 to even the score when Kara Yackel found room past Drever at 19:36, and we'd head to the break tied up at 1-1 with Trinity Western holding an 11-6 advantage in shots.
The second period felt more like a Huskies game as the two sides traded chances, but neither got great looks at the nets. Trinity Western, as they often do, found themselves in some penalty trouble in the second half of the frame, but they were able to weather the storm they had inflicted upon themselves. The 1-1 game remained intact through 40 minutes with TWU leading 20-13 in shots.
Things got back to normal in the third period as Trinity Western continued to press for goals while Saskatchewan repelled those chances. At the other end, the Huskies were taking chances when they got them, but they'd capitalize before the midway point of the period when Shelby Williamson threw a puck on net that was stopped, but Kenzie Lausberg slid the rebound under Maltais and into the net to make it a 2-1 game! That goal seemed to push Trinity Western into another gear as they looked for an equalizer, but the Huskies were able to withstand the flurry of shots through the remainder of the period as Saskatchewan downed TWU by a 2-1 score! Camryn Drever stopped 29 shots for her seventh win of the season while Mabel Maltais kept 18 of 20 shots from finding the net in a losing effort.
There are no highlights as usual for the Huskies, but I'm not barking up that tree. Nor will I be howling for highlights of this game.
SATURDAY: The Spartans and Huskies met on Saturday with Saskatchewan in a much more comfortable position thanks to their Friday win. Trinity Western was now needing a win to hold off other teams who were closing gaps, so this game was a big one for both teams as Saskatchewan would be in striking distance of a top-two spot in the conference while TWU needed to maintain their hold on their fifth-place seeding. Kate Fawcett was tasked with defending the Spartans' net while the Huskies turned to Colby Wilson as their backstopper.
The first period of the Saturday affair was far more opportunistic on both sides of the puck. Saskatchewan had a couple of power-play chances in the opening frame, but neither would result in goals. At the other end, TWU set up their offensive chances with some good puck movement, but defence and goaltending were on display at both ends of the rink as this game remained tied 0-0 into the first intermission despite Saskatchewan outshooting the Spartans by an 11-8 margin.
The middle frame saw Trinity Western bring the fire as they peppered Wilson in the Saskatchewan net, but she was playing well on this night. She also got some help thanks to a TWU penalty midway through the period that allowed the Huskies to strike on the power-play as Kendra Zuchotzki wired home a shot at 12:15 to put the Huskies up 1-0. That lead lasted all of 4:42 thanks to a Saskatchewan penalty that allowed Mackenzie Mayo to answer back at 16:57 with a hot shot of her own to tie the game at 1-1. The final three minutes would count down, and we'd go into the second break tied up at single goals with Trinity Western outshooting Saskatchewan 20-15.
The third period was a little more settled as both teams were looking to prevent goals as much as they were trying to score them. A penalty called on each side had no effect on the scoreboard as both goalies remained focused on their respective jobs. With no goals scored in the third period and the game still tied at 1-1, we'd get some free hockey! At the break, the Spartans held a 27-20 edge in shots.
The first overtime period saw the teams record a pair of shots each, but none of them found the back of the net. The second overtime period saw the ice tilt in Trinity Western's favour as they outshot Saskatchewan 4-0 in the 3-on-3 period, but Wilson and the Huskies' defence stood tall. With no goals scored in overtime, we'd be treated to a skills competition in this game!
Sophie Lalor was the first shooter, and she put the Huskies ahead with a low under Fawcett's blocker. Brooklyn Anderson would be stopped on Trinity Western's first attempt. Kelsey Hall was denied on her attempt, and Wilson turned Amy Potomak aside on her shot as well. Kendra Zuchotzki was up next with a chance to win the game.
I'll be honest in saying that I don't know if that move was planned, but huge credit to Zuchotzki for the creativity in lifting her stick over the puck and faking the move to the backhand to get Fawcett to open up as the puck slid through the five-hole and into the net for the shootout winner! The Saskatchewan Huskies take this game by a 2-1 shootout victory! Colby Wilson was solid on a 32-save night plus two more in the shootout over 70:00 of work while Kate Fawcett suffers the shootout loss after stopping 21 shots and one more in the shootout in her 70:00 of time.
Highlights? You got the most important one already. Look up.
The Dinos were the more aggressive team in the opening frame, but the Griffins had their chances. Both goalies looked good early on, but Jada Burke snapped the goalless draw when she jammed a puck across the line on her own rebound for her first Canada West goal at 17:20 as the Dinos grabbed the 1-0 lead! That lead would double just 2:09 later when, on the power-play, Erin Armstrong's shot from inside the blue line found the back of the net past a well-screened Fawcett for her first Canada West goal at 19:29! That 2-0 lead survived the final 31 seconds of the frame with the Dinos holding a 14-7 advantage in shots.
The second period saw the two teams show a little defensive play as the chances were few for either side. Both netminders were good when called upon, and the 2-0 Calgary lead held firm through 40 minutes of play with Calgary up 20-15 in shots.
The third period saw the Griffins get an early power-play, but it was the Dinos would capitalize as the penalty expired. With the Griffins pressing, the Dinos transitioned out of their zone as Alli Borrow fed Annaliese Meier on the left side, she skated it down the ice before dishing to Borrow who bat her check down the ice for a partial breakaway, and she went left post as she peeled off to the right at 4:50 for the 3-0 Calgary lead! The Dinos would continue to press for more, and they'd be rewarded when a Sydney Mercier forecheck resulted in a turnover. The Dinos would get the puck back to Dana Wood at the point whose shot missed the left post, but Rebecca Clarke was there to tuck the puck home at 6:51 to put the Dinos up by four goals. That was more than enough on this night, though, as Gabriella Durante turned aside every puck sent her way in the Calgary 4-0 win over MacEwan! As stated, Gabriella Durante stopped all 26 shots for her seventh win and fourth shutout while Brooke Fawcett was unsuccessful in her first start despite making 23 stops.
MacEwan doesn't do highlights, but I will offer you some Griffins.
The first period was played fairly conservatively with only one penalty being assessed against the Dinos. The few chances that were seen were turned aside by the netminders who were content with the 0-0 draw through 20 minutes. Into the intermission, that score held with MacEwan holding a 6-4 edge over Calgary in shots.
The second period saw the Dinos with all sorts of chances thanks to a number of power-play opportunities. MacEwan was successful in killing off all three shorthanded situations and, despite being pinned in their own zone for most of the period, looked to counter the pressure the Dinos had applied. The only problem was that the Dinos finally broke through after Josie McLeod picked up a puck at the Griffins' blue line, skated into the slot before making a great move to get by Robyn Short, and fired a quick shot over Fawcett's blocked to break the stalemate with 45 seconds to play in the period. That 1-0 lead would carry into the break as Calgary held the lead and a 16-8 advantage in shots.
The third period saw both teams trading shots before Calgary added another tally to their total. Dana Wood was the trailer on the odd-player rush, and the puck came to her in the slot where she wired it past Fawcett to make it 2-0 at the 5:26 mark. The back-and-forth affair continued in the third period as the Griffins pushed for a goal of any kind while the Dinos looked to bury the Griffins on this day, and they would do that when a poke-check ended up on Sydney Mercier's stick, and she hit the semi-vacated net with 1:01 left in the game as Fawcett had left the net, but tried to get back with no success. The final score saw the Calgary Dinos down the MacEwan Griffins by a 3-0 score! Gabriella Durante pitched a second-straight clean sheet as she stopped 16 shots for her eighth win and fifth shutout while Brianna Sank was on the losing end of a 25-save night.
There aren't any highlights that the Dinos have posted yet, so you're going to be treated to a music video. With Daniel Radcliffe starring in the new biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, it dawned on me that Yankovic had done a Jurassic Park parody to the tune of Richard Harris' song "MacArthur Park". Here's Weird Al's version which, admittedly, is way better than the original. Enjoy the tune!
A rather lacklustre first period saw no goals scored, so we'd move to the second period in the hopes that someone would light the lamp. Jadyn Kushniruk would be the player to do that as she skated in 1-on-3 and let a wrister go from the top of the circle that floated right by the Fluffy Cows' stationary goalie high on the glove side. Kushniruk's goal at 7:56 had the Cougars up 1-0, but they weren't done there as Hannah Pennell, on power-play, sent a high shot to virtually the same spot as Kushniruk, and the end result was the same as Pennell scored at 9:17 to put Regina up 2-0! The team who had found more ways to get pucks on net had a two-goal lead through 40 minutes as Regina held a 19-11 edge in shots through two periods.
The Cougars would surrender a goal early in the third period, but they were able to withstand the remaining pressure applied. When the final horn sounded, the Regina Cougars defeated the Manitoba Fluffy Cows by a 2-1 score to snap their 11-game losing streak! Arden Kliewer was solid throughout the third period as she stopped 22 shots on the night to pick up her third win of the season!
Since the Cougars don't produce highlight reels for some insane reason, here's a quick GIF of what this game looked like as the Cougars used a couple of quick strikes to win the game.
SATURDAY: Regina got a little closer to a playoff spot thanks to their win on Friday night, but those winning ways had to continue Saturday for the Cougars to have any realistic shot at the postseason. Snapping an 11-game losing streak one night earlier certainly didn't hurt the cause, but wins had to come more frequently than monthly on average. Arden Kliewer was back in the net for Regina against the Fluffy Cows.
Regina was under siege to start the game, but the Cougars would hit the scoreboard first while on the power-play. Shaylee Scraba's long shot from the half-boards seemed to hit something on the way, but it ended up in the net at the 11:50 mark to make it a 1-0 game for the Cougars! And then the bottom fell out for the Cougars as they surrendered five-straight goals in an eventual 5-1 loss as the Cougars were simply overwhelmed in a 38-17 margin of shots. There would be no celebrating at the end of this one, but Arden Kliewer did stop 33 shots in the game.
The only highlight I'm posting is the one I ripped from Regina's social media where, apparently, they post all their goals which makes me wonder why they can't make a highlight reel. In any case, here's Scraba's power-play goal.
| School | Record | Points | GF | GA | Streak | Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UBC | 11-2-3-2 | 30 | 60 | 27 | W2 | vs SAS |
| Alberta | 13-5-1-1 | 29 | 55 | 30 | W5 | vs TWU |
| Mount Royal | 14-5-0-1 | 29 | 52 | 33 | L2 | @ MAN |
| Saskatchewan | 8-5-4-3 | 27 | 39 | 29 | W2 | @ UBC |
| Calgary | 7-8-3-2 | 21 | 42 | 44 | W3 | BYE |
| Trinity Western | 7-8-2-3 | 21 | 44 | 47 | L4 | @ ALB |
| Manitoba | 7-10-1-0 | 16 | 44 | 58 | W1 | vs MRU |
| MacEwan | 2-14-1-1 | 7 | 20 | 56 | L9 | vs REG |
| Regina | 3-14-0-1 | 7 | 24 | 56 | L1 | @ MAC |
Dinos Math
Both Regina and MacEwan, as shown above, are sitting at seven points with each having ten games remaining. There's 20 potential points on the table for both teams, and they trail both Calgary and Trinity Western by 14 points. They're still in this race despite their single-digit points total, but they're running out of real estate if they're going to make a run at this.Both Calgary and Regina are 1-1 with four goals-for and four goals-against, but any combination of three Calgary wins or three Regina losses will prevent the Griffins from overtaking the Dinos. Depending on what happens next weekend against MacEwan, a sweep in two weeks ends the threat of Regina getting into the playoffs. Of course, Regina sweeping Calgary on January 20 and 21 would do a world of good for the Cougars, but they can't look past next week.
MacEwan is now down 0-2 in their season series against Calgary, and they won't see them again until the final weekend of the season. With MacEwan's shining example this weekend against the Dinos, let's just say that Dinos have already won the tie-breaker there. I don't think Calgary will give up seven goals to the Griffins in any weekend this season, let alone the last one, so any combination of three Calgary wins or three MacEwan losses will prevent the Griffins from overtaking the Dinos.
If either of MacEwan or Regina wants to make the playoffs, sweeping the other one next weekend in their series has to happen. From there, the team that sweeps needs a ton of help, but there's still a faint chance. A small one, but a chance nonetheless.
Spartans Math
Regina lost both games to Trinity Western in their only meeting this season, so that tie-breaker is already out the window. Regina has to overtake the Spartans, so they need 15 out their final 20 points to make that happen. In other words, if they lose three games in regulation over their last ten, the Spartans can't be caught by Regina.MacEwan is 1-1 with three goals-for and three-goals against versus Trinity Western this season, and they play the Spartans in two weeks. They'd be best to sweep that series in order to prevent any losses, but any combination of three Trinity Western wins or three MacEwan losses will prevent the Griffins from overtaking the Spartans. Again, they can't look past next week against Regina as well, but MacEwan has to start winning games if they want to keep the dream alive.
FISU Changes
Mount Royal will go into Manitoba without Tatum Amy and after having scored just two goals against the Alberta Pandas. I had mentioned in the 2023 Resolutions article that the Cougars needed to "[f]ind more secondary scoring from all positions", and this past weekend against Alberta showed that someone has to step up and score if the Cougars are going to get a week off in the quarterfinal round of the Canada West playoffs. While Manitoba is far different than Alberta, Mount Royal has to show everyone they're not a one-line team. Otherwise, these next two weeks may be tough.Contrary to that, Alberta got scoring from a number of different sources in their games against Mount Royal, so the sting of losing Madison Willan will likely be less. Trinity Western will still pose a threat due to their scoring prowess, but Alberta has been consistent with its wealth of scoring all season long. Alberta will undoubtedly miss Willan, but there's more than enough talent on the Pandas roster to handle that loss.
Perhaps the one team who will need players to step up is the team sending two players from Canada West. The Saskatchewan Huskies will be without goaltender Camryn Drever and defender Isabella Pozzi for the next couple of weeks, and they're in tough against the conference-leading UBC Thunderbirds next week. They might actually come out of this fairly well, though, as Colby Wilson has shown she can stare down some of the conference's best teams while Pozzi has been complemented this season by Kendra Zuchotzki, Brooklyn Stevely, and Larissa Bohlken. Yes, Pozzi's steadiness on the blue line will be missed, but the Huskies have enough talent on their roster to handle these absences.
FISU Support
To Tatum, Madison, Camryn, and Isabella: help Canada bring home a gold medal, ladies. All of Canada West will be cheering you on collectively as you battle in Lake Placid against the likes of Slovakia (January 11), Czechia (January 14), Japan (January 15), Great Britain (January 17), and the US (January 18). The four of you are among the best this conference has to offer, so make us proud!Not to be forgotten either, but keep an eye peeled for Calgary's Ella Howard who is suiting up with Team Great Britain at the tournament! Canada West is all over the map at the 2023 FISU World University Games! Best of luck to Ella as well!
The Last Word
Nothing is guaranteed in Canada West.For years, I've been saying that the teams who combine hard work and talent on the most consistent basis will win more often than they lose. That's not to say that the teams at the bottom of the standings work any less hard or have any less talent than teams above them, but the consistency factor is what often determines wins and losses when it comes to winning shifts, winning periods, winning games, and winning banners.
Now, this may seem very elementary, but no team will ever go undefeated in this conference. There have been some teams who got close, but there hasn't been one team who hung a Canada West banner without a loss. The December break may be part of that reason as players get away from their daily routines, but this weekend is proof that anyone can beat anyone else if that consistent effort and talent is put forth at all times.
There are five weeks left in the season - four for those who are scheduled for a bye week. With the playoffs approaching, scoring, defence, goaltending, and special teams are all important, but those elements will win more often when done together.
Consistently.
Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!
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